


Adventures in Babysitting

by howitshouldbe



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: M/M, fredsythe
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-05
Updated: 2018-08-05
Packaged: 2019-07-02 23:46:02
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 971
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15806991
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/howitshouldbe/pseuds/howitshouldbe
Summary: Grandpa!Fred takes care of his approx. 3yo granddaughter, Bernice, while Archie and Veronica are out of town. FP shows up, dropping some questionably appropriate fredsythe-ish comments in front of Bernie. Wholesomeness occurs throughout.





	Adventures in Babysitting

"Grandpa?" the little redheaded girl called as she wandered around the corner. Wiping sleep from her eyes, she almost walked into a wall.

"In here, B," Fred called to her from the kitchen.

It was mid afternoon and the sun was shining through the window over the sink as Fred finished drying the last dish from their lunch. Archie and Veronica were out of town for the day so Fred was watching his granddaughter at his house while they were away.

Picking her up and sitting her on the kitchen island, he straightened her lopsided pigtails.

"Have a good nap?" he asked.

She smiled brightly and nodded, giggling as he kissed her forehead. His beard tickled and she loved grandpa-kisses something extra because of it.

"Can we play a game?" Bernice asked him sweetly.

Fred's brow furrowed. "What kind of game, munchkin? I don't have a lot of--" 

"Pony," the girl stated matter-of-factly. 

"Pony?"

"Mhmm," she hummed. "Grandpa Lodge says that ponies are fun, but Mommy says he can't get me one."

"Well how exactly does someone play pony?" Fred asked her, afraid he already knew the answer.

"You get down on the ground like this," Bernie said, beginning to slide off the counter. Fred caught her under her arms and lowered her to the floor.

Down on all fours, she looked up at him expectantly. Fred sighed and used the island to help lower himself down beside her. The things he did for this girl.

"There you go, Grandpa! That's it," she giggled.

"Like this?" he questioned, letting a tiny smirk grace the corner of his mouth.

"Just like that," she confirmed. "Now I get on your back."

"Wait a minute!" Fred protested. "What if this pony doesn't like passengers?"

Bernie stopped. She didn't seem upset by this question, but more contemplative. "What if I give you a carrot?" she asked.

"I think that would do the trick," he laughed.

Going over the fridge, she opened the door and pulled a baby carrot out of the produce drawer. When she handed it to him, he pretended to bite her fingers, using his lips instead of his teeth. This solicited a belly laugh from Bernie and consequently a deeper one from Fred.

"Can I get on now?" Bernie asked pleadingly.

"Ummm..." Fred hesitated playfully. "Yep, I think we're good now."

He lowered himself a bit further so she could climb onto his back. When he was sure she was situated and holding on, he straightened up, but didn't move.

"Alright," Bernie sighed, clearly exasperated by the fact that she had to explain every step of this process to him. "Now you walk."

Giving him a soft, but persuasive kick to the ribs with her little foot, Bernie prodded her pony to move.

Fred started out crawling slowly, but becoming confident in her skills, he sped up after the second or third trip around the first floor of the house. By the time FP came in, Fred was whinnying and bucking and Bernie was laughing so hard she had tears rolling down her rosy cheeks. 

"What the hell?" FP asked as he came through the front door into the entryway.

Fred shot him a "watch your mouth" look, so he corrected himself. "What the  _heck_?"

Rolling his eyes, Fred explained. "Haven't you ever seen a pony before?"

"A what?" 

"A  _pony_ , FP," Bernie said sweetly. "We're playing pony." 

"Well that sounds like loads of fun," FP chuckled slyly. He raised his eyebrows at Fred suggestively. "Maybe your grandpa and I can play--"

" _Really_?" Fred exclaimed, cutting off FP's innuendo before he could say it.

FP just grinned.

"B, I think this pony is ready for a break," Fred sighed, reaching behind him to help her slide off.

"No!" Bernie pleaded. He couldn't see her face, but just imagining her pouty lip was enough to melt Fred's heart.

"Grandpa's tired," FP told her sweetly. "He can't go as many rounds as he used to."

Once again, Fred scowled at him and was met by a sly grin from FP in return.

"Why don't I take over for Grandpa?" FP offered Bernie.

She hesitated for a moment, but eventually agreed, sliding off Fred's back while FP lowered himself to the floor.

When FP gestured for her to climb on, a thought struck her. "Don't you need a carrot, too?" she asked.

FP looked up at Fred for an interpretation. "Her last pony needed a carrot before he would let her ride," Fred explained.

"Oh! Well this pony prefers Jack Daniel's, and I don't think you have any of that, so he's ok. But just this time!" FP warned her with a smile.

Bernie glanced at Fred, silently asking if they had any of whatever FP was talking about. When all she received from him was a head shake and eye roll, she shrugged and climbed up. This pony wasn't as enthusiastic as her first, but he was a fine substitute while Grandpa stretched his legs and back.

The rest of the afternoon was spent making circles from the living room, through the dining room and kitchen, and back. Both men were just about exhausted by the time Archie and Veronica arrived.

"Mommy," Bernie said to Veronica as she helped her put on her coat, "we can tell Grandpa Lodge that I don't need a pony."

"Oh really?" Veronica questioned, looking back and forth from Fred to FP. "Why the sudden change of heart?"

" 'Cause a pony would be fun, but Grandpa and FP are funner."

This made everyone in the room smile.

"But we have to get FP some Jacks and Daniels or he won't let me ride anymore," Bernie added.

The adults' smiles were instantly gone and replaced by glares in FP's direction. Bernie's, however, never left her face the whole way home.


End file.
